Kebab restaurant set to open in March on St. Claude

Kebab (2313 St. Claude Ave., 504-383-4328; www.kebabnola.com), a restaurant specializing in doner kebab sandwiches with rotisserie pork or chicken, will open in early March in the space formerly occupied by Henry's Bakery & Deli, opened by baker and Beasts of the Southern Wild star Dwight Henry. The creators of the Pizza Speakeasy, Benjamin Harlow and Walker Reisman, say they became interested in doner kebab sandwiches while traveling through Europe with Caravan Stage Company (which is currently developing a new show in Lafitte).

"You can't really get good doner-style kebab sandwiches in New Orleans anywhere," Harlow says. "You can get gyros and lamb and beef stuff, but nothing that's really centered on that wildly flavorful really crispy pork sandwich that is that German doner kebab-style sandwich or that Greek doner kebab-style sandwich."

Kebab's sandwiches will be served on house-baked bread with shredded rotisserie meat, house-pickled cucumber, tzatziki and zhuk, a cilantro-based Israeli hot sauce. The menu also includes hummus and falafel sandwiches and Belgian, beet and sweet potato fries. Harlow, Reisman and pastry chef Elyse Manning hope to host lamb roasts at Kebab at least monthly, if not weekly. There will
be a gallery behind the long lunch counter and three 4-foot diorama boxes for
visual artists to showcase their work. Kebab's owners also hope to host pop-ups there for their formal dining concept, Margaret's, which will eventually become a brick-and-mortar restaurant.